#115
  115. SHIBUYA SHIGEKADO'S LETTERS OF DEVISE, 1371-1372

                         (Iriki-in docs.; also KK,III; SK, XX.)
THE rule of primogeniture has progressed beyond No. 97, and has combined with a privilege of
masculinity.




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#115-A
                                     A
"To devise
    To the son Tora-goro-Maru:1-
one place: the north part of Kiyoshiki, in Iriki in, Satsuma kuni;
one place: Upper Soeda mura, in the north part;
one place: one half ji-to shiki and shita-ji2 of Ichiino mura;
one place: Kiyoshiki mura, in the south part;
one place: To-no-hara mura;
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one place: Naka-mura;
one place: Kusumoto mura;
one place: Kurano mura;
one place: Kuju mura;
one place: Kashiwa-zhima mura:
one place: the wet rice-fields and homestead at Kashiwara, Chikuzen kuni;
one place: the Naga-buchi homestead, Chikugo kini, and the Minaki homestead, the
  same kuni;
one place: houses, ta and hata, at Ashi-iri, in Nishi-zhima, Kai kuni;3
one place: Kami-yama, of Shimo-mori, and O-ashi, in Kawae sho, Mimasaka kuni;
one place: the Fuji-gokoro homestead and wooded land in Zo-shi go, Shibuya, Sagami
kuni.
  The aforesaid domains are Shigekado's hereditary domains. Therefore, they are,
together with the documents of succession and letters of transmission, devised for all
time to Tora-goro-Maru. As for the obligations(ku-zhi, they shall be done according
to precedents. Next, after [the death of] Shigekado, though there be several brothers,
the heir-general shall be [appointed] according to ability(ki-yo), and all the domains
without a single exception shall be devised to him alone. If there be any who, contrary
to this sense, divided the domains among his sons, he should not be considered as
Shigekado's descendant. Since it is ruled thus, if perchance the domains were devised
in parts, the heir-general should, in accordance with the tenor of this letter, seize and
hold them in sole control. As testimony for the future, this rule is recorded [also] in
the testament. Therefore, the letter of devise is [written] thus.
  "Ken-toku 2 y. 10 m. 15 d. [22 November 1371].
Dan-zho sho-hitsu, Shigekado, (monogram)."




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#115-B
                                     B
                         "Testament.
"After [the death of] Shigekado, though there be several brothers, the heir-general
shall be [appointed] according to ability, and all the domains without a single excep-
tion shall be devised to him alone. If there be any who, contrary to this sense, divided
the domains among his sons, he should not be considered as Shigekado's descendant.
Since it is ruled thus, if perchance the domains were devised in parts, the heir-general
should, in accordance with the tenor of this letter, seize and hold them in sole control.
As testimony for the future, this testament is [written] thus.
  "Ken-toku 2 y. 10 m. 15 d. [22 Nov. 1371].
Dan-zho sho-hitsu, Shigekado, (monogram)."




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#115-C
                                     C
                         "Testament.
     "The widow and Tatewaki-Saemon-no-zho4 shall be supported in the care of
Tora-goro-Maru.
    "The two mura of Kurano and Uchiyama, now held by the katsu-zhiki,5 shall be
held [by him] for life, also as a favor of Tora-goro-Maru.
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   "The daughter Naga-wo shall hold Nabeno mura, in To-no-hara; likewise for
life.
   "The Daughter Tora-wo shall hold . . .6 of Upper Soeda mura; likewise for life.
   "The daughter Osato-iun7 shall hold Hirano in Ichiino, exclusive of her own saku;
likewise for life.
   "The grant to Hamada Sae-taro in Upper Soeda shall be given as support of
entertainment at the hot-spring of Soeda;8 for all time.
     "The aforestated articles are recorded for the future ages.
  "Ken-toku 2 y. 10 m. 15 d. [22 Nov. 1371].            Shigekado, (monogram)."



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#115-D
                                     D
"To devise to the adopted son Matsu-jo-Maru
  "The ji-to shiki left9 at Toriwara, in Ichiino mura, Iriki, Satsuma kuni.
"The aforesaid domain is Shigekado's hereditary private domain. Since he has a special
desire so to do, he devises [the said domain] for all time [to Matsu-jo-Maru]. If,
however, he should, whether in public or in private matters, disobey the command of
the heir-general, [the former] should not hold the said domain.10 As testimony for the
future, the statement is [made] thus.
  "Ken-toku 2 y. 12 m. 2 d. [8 Jan. 1372]."



  1The boyhood name of Shigeyori, the seventh lord of Iriki.
  2Shita-ji, soil, as distinguished from dues, sho-to, from it.
  3It is unknown why and how the Iriki-in had acquired this domain.
  4Probably Shigetsugu.
  5A priestly title in Zen Buddhism. This is brother Ro-Zan.
  6Three characters unintelligible.
  7The Iriki-in genealogy has Kuri-inu, which probably is correct.
  8Soeda, like Ichiino, is known for its thermal springs. Soeda is about two miles to the northeast
from the center of Iriki. Today there are simple inns at Soeda, but none at the Iriki village. When
the present editor was examining the documents at the latter place in 1919, he visited it daily from
his lodging at Soeda.
  9Ato, an estate vacated by some one by death, default, or some other cause.Cf. the German
word Nachlasz.
  10Sho-mu is one of the historic words in Japanese legal terminology which have undergone a
gradual modification of meaning. Originally signifying affairs to be administered or managed, the
word seems successively to have taken on the following meanings:-affairs largely financial; judicial
conduct of these affairs; a revenue accruing from their management; the shiki of this management;
etc. It is chiefly in the sense of a revenue that the term is here used.